Remote control bombing game apparatus



0. w. REITER REMOTE CONTROL BOMBI-NG GAMEMPPARATUS June 8, 1954 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1950 Orva W- Reifer IN V EN TOR.

BY 1% mfg June 8, 1954 o. w. REITER REMOTE CONTROL BOMBING GAME APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1950 Orva W. Reiier INVENTOR.

- 1 BY ad June 1954 o. w. REITER 2,680,619

REMOTE CONTROL BOMBING GAME APPARATUS Filed may 22, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F ig. l0

Orva W. Reirer mmvron.

17s BY Patented June 8, 1954 REMOTE CONTROL BOMBING GAME APPARATUS Orva W. Reiter, Tiffin, Ohio Application May 22, 1950, Serial No. 163,497

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in remote control bombing game apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aerial projectile apparatus which is electrically operated and is provided with a bomb rack having a plurality of bombs therein which is completely operated by remote control means whereby the aerial movement of the aircraft and the time of bomb release are controlled by a remotely situated operator.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus which measures the skill of an operator in releasing bombs to strike predetermined targets.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game bombing structure in which the bomb release apparatus is simple in construction and easily actuated.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel supporting arrangement of the aircraft whereby the aircraft is freely rotatable about an upstanding member which is removably mounted upon a base target means.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel connecting arrangements between the base target means and upstanding member, and between the rotatable arm and the upstanding member, and between the aircraft and rotating arm.

The means by which the objects of the present invention are accomplished include a base target means, an upstanding bearing member removably mounted on the base target means, an arm pivotally mounted on the bearing member, a simulated aircraft mounted on the outer end of the arm, means for propelling the aircraft, the aircraft being provided with a bomb rack and plurality of simulated bombs, and means for releas ing the bombs.

This invention also has for its objects to provide a game apparatus that is positive in operation, easily installed in operating arrangement and easily dismounted therefrom, economical of manufacture and relatively simple.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the detailed description to follow.

Icontrol bombing apparatus showing one form of target base;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of a part of the aircraft showing the bomb rack and bomb releasing means;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 44 01' Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal transverse sectional View taken substantially along the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detailed elevational view showing the connection between the rotating arm and the contact element of the upstanding member;

Figure 7 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line l-l in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one form of simulated bomb employed with the present apparatus;

Figure 10 is another form of simulated bomb used with the present invention; and

Figure 11 is a View showing the electrical circuit employed in the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, numeral It designates generally the game apparatus of the present invention which includes a base target means l2, an upstanding member l4 removably mounted on the base target meanst I2, an arm I6 removably and pivotally mounted on the upstanding member 14, a simulated aircraft i8 removably mounted on the arm [6 for rotation therewith. The control means for operating the electrical circuit in the present invention are included in the control board 29 which derives its power from a transformer 22 which is connected to a source of electrical power by means of a cable 2G.

I In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, the target base means I 2 is formed from a flat target member 26 having target indicia ure 2, cable connecting means and 42 are positioned beneath the base target board 26 and" have their ends secured to the four terminals 44, 46, 48 and 50 and the plug element 52 secured on 3 the base board 26, as seen best in Figure 5. An annular member 54 is positioned around the plug element 52 and provides a base supporting ring for theupstanding member I4.

The upstanding member I4 is provided with a flanged base portion 56 which cooperatively engages the annular member 54 and is secured to the base target means by means of screws 58and nuts 60 and'62. The upstanding member I4'is provided with a cable bore 6 1 in which a multilead cable 68 is positioned having its bottom end conneoted to plug element which is complementary to the plug element 52 and adapted to be in engagement therewith when the upstanding member I4 is in position. The plug elements 52 and 10 are of the typethat can be engaged in only one position.

The upstanding member is is provided with a reduced portion I2 at its upper end and a shaft recess I4 in axial alignment with the upstanding member I4. The reduced portion l? is provided with a longitudinalslot I3 which communicates with the cable bore 64 and is adapted to receive the ends of the wire element of the cable '68. A plurality of contact elements I8 are mounted on insulating material 16 about the reduced portion I2 of the upstanding member Id. The wire ends 80 are each connected to one of the contact rings 18.

The shaft 02 is mounted in the shaft recess I4 and has a pair of bearing mountings 84 secured in spaced relation intermediate its ends. Between the bearing mountings 84 are provided a pair. of conventional ball bearing units.

The arm I6 is provided with an enlarged sleeve portion 38 having a central bore 96 and a pair of.

sleeve inserts 9'2 and 94 secured in the bore 90 by means of screws 96. Thesleeve inserts 92 and 94 are provided with bearing surfaces 56 for cooperation with the ball bearing unit 86 whereby the arm I6 is freely rotatable about the shaft 82 and is supported thereby.

The arm I6 is provided with a cable bore I00 having a cable I02 mounted therein, one end of the cable I02 having the ends of its individual wire elements connected to the plug connector I04 mounted on the bottom face of the arm I6. The other ends of the individual wire elements of the cable !02 are connected to the plug element I06 mounted on the upper face of the arm I6 by means of the screws I68.

As seen best in Figures 2 and 6, the commutator member I I6 is formed from a rectangular mounting member H2 having a plug connector II4 mounted at its upper end for connection to the plug unit its by which the commutator member is mounted. A plurality of commutator fingers H6 are secured by pins IIB to one face of the commutator element H2 and are each connected to an individual wire element of the plug II4.

Each of the commutator fingers H6 is adapted to resiliently engage one of the cont'actrings 18 providing an electrical connection'between the elements of the cable 68 and the elements of the cable I02. V

The simulated aircraft I8 is formed from sheet 'metal into any desired form and is provided at rack designated generally at I intermediate the- 4. ends of the body portion. As seen best in Figure 3, the bomb rack I30 is formed from a pairof channel members I32 mounted in spaced relation to each other by means of brackets I34 which are connected to the interior of the shell of the simulated aircraft I8. A guard member I36 is secured to the channel members I32 and the sides of the aircraft by means of bracket Hi0 and screws I38. The aircraft shell is provided with a pair of openings I42 and I44 into which the bombs may be inserted for positioning in the bomb rack I30 and out of which the bombs may be expelled when released.

The bomb release means include a solenoid I46 secured to the back side of the bomb rack I30 and has a pair of wire connectors M8 for connection to the plug element I22. A plunger member I50 is resiliently mounted on the bomb rack I30 by means of spring element I52 and nuts and bolts I54 and I56. The plunger I50 is provided with a plate I56 having a threaded portion I60' in serted through the plunger I 50 and secured thereon'by means of nut I62, theplate I58 being in juxtaposition to the solenoid I46 whereby when said solenoid is'a'ctuated the plunger I50 issre siliently attracted to the solenoid I46. The end of the plunger I56 is formed into U-shaped'portion I64 whereby the end IE6 is received within the bomb rack and adapted to be positioned behind one of the bombs I10.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 8, the target base means I12 is provided with a plurality of partition elements. I14 dividing the space into a plurality of targets which may have preselected score indicia thereon'whereby scoremay be kept in playing a game. In this form, the bombs when released from the rack will beretained between a pair of the partition elements I14. The simulated bomb I10 having control fins Ill asshown in Figure 9 would preferably be used with this form of base target means.

Figure 10 shows a modified simulated bomb structure I75 having a weighted and pointed end I16 and'control fins IH which is particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with thebase 7 target means 26 wherebywhen the bomb is re* the method of assembly'and operation of the present invention will be readily understood by one skilled in the art. In setting up the present invention, the transformer 22 and the control board 20 are connected by cable. means as shown in Figure 1, and the plug 38 is connected to the socket 36. The upstanding member I4 is then secured in position so that the plug elements 52 and 10 cooperatively engage each other providing electrical connection and nuts 60 are tight to hold the upstanding member S4 in position. The arm I6 is then positioned on the shaft 82 with the supporting bearing element 86 in desired relation to the bearing surfaces 98 by means of the bearing mounting members 04. The simulated aircraft I8 is then mounted on the arm I6 by means of plug connection I22 to we. The commutator member I I6 is then plugged into the element I04 with the commutator fingers I I6 engaging the commutator rings I8 on the upstanding member I4.

With the switch on at the control board 20 I the rheostat 22 is slowly moved actuating the electrical motor in the simulated aircraft causing the propeller I9 to rotate, the aircraft I8 then rotating about the upstanding member I l. The

rheostat 22 may then be adjusted to give the aircraft the desired speed of rotation. The operation of the electrical circuit may be readily understood from an inspection of Figure 11. The potential will be adjusted by the transformer in conjunction with the rheostat 22 to secure the desired operating potential for the device. Closing switch 2| on control panel 20 will apply potential to the motor circuit including the motor 120 and the speed control rheostat 29. Also closing the switch 2! will apply potential to the circuit I48 containing switch 23 and the bomb release solenoid I46. The solenoid I45 will be controlled by switch 23 to actuate the bomb rack to release the bombs therein. The speed of the motor I20 will be regulated by rheostat 29 which is adjustable by control knob A on control panel 20. The propeller l9 driven by motor I20 will cause rotation of the simulated aircraft about the upstanding member l4.

From the foregoing, it is believed that an apparatus has been provided which will accomplish all of the objects hereinabove set forth and which will provide a means of entertainment which can be used not only in the home but at fairs, carnivals and the like.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A remote control bombing apparatus comprising a base target means, an upstanding bearing member mounted on said base, an arm pivotally mounted on said bearing member, a simulated aircraft mounted on said arm, means for propelling said aircraft, a bomb rack in said simulated aircraft, a bottom stop in said rack, said rack having a lateral slot therein, a plurality of simulated bombs in said rack, a plunger resiliently mounted on said bomb rack, one end of said plunger being positioned on said rack and contacting the bomb in proximity with said slot, a solenoid mounted in juxtaposition to an. intermediate portion of said plunger, an electrical circuit connected to said solenoid, control means in said circuit for energizing said solenoid, said solenoid actuating said plunger to force a bomb laterally through said slot.

2. In a remote control bombing apparatus having a base target means and a simulated aircraft movable over said base, a bomb release comprising a bomb rack mounted in said simulated aircraft, said aircraft having an'upper aperture in alignment with said bomb rack for filling simulated bombs into said racl-z and a discharge aper ture below and to the rear of said rack, said rack having a lateral bomb slot adjacent the bottom thereof, a plunger aligned with said bomb slot, a solenoid operatively associated with said plunger, an electrical circuit including a control device connected to said solenoid, said solenoid when energized urging said plunger transversely of said bomb rack to displace a bomb laterally from said rack through said slot.

3. In a remote control bombing apparatus having a base target means and a simulated aircraft movable over said base, a bomb release comprising a bomb rack mounted in said simulated aircraft, said aircraft having an upper aperture in alignment with said bomb rack for filling simulated bombs into said rack and a discharge aperture below and to the rear of said rack, said rack having a lateral bomb slot adjacent the bottom thereof, a plunger aligned with said bomb slot, a solenoid operatively associated with said plunger, an electrical circuit including a control device connected to said solenoid, said solenoid when energized urging said plunger transversely of said bomb rack to displace a bomb laterally from said rack through said slot, a guard member secured to the rack extending through said discharge aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

